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Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains in South Carolina's Upcountry and just an hour from the tourist mecca of Asheville, Spartanburg is a scenic and active urban center, with all the cultural, educational and business opportunities you'd expect from South Carolina's fourth largest city. If your travels take your family to this area of the Carolina Piedmont region, you'll find plenty of things to keep the kids occupied in Spartanburg.

Places to Play Outside

Kids can wander for hours through the Hatcher Garden Public Botanical Garden and Woodland Preserve (hatchergarden.org). Pick up a garden map at the visitors center or download it online, and let the kids roam: The butterfly garden and turtle pond are good spots to explore. The garden's free admission is a plus. Or head over to Hot Spot Skate Park (hotspotskatepark.com) to watch the pros roll their stuff on the park's ramps; adventurous kids might want to bring their skateboards and test their own chops. The park is open in the afternoons and evenings and closed on Wednesday; expect to pay a nominal fee for admission.

Places to Learn Something New

The Spartanburg Art Museum (spartanburgartmuseum.org) has a rotating selection of exhibits and a small permanent collection of American art, including some interesting art quilts. Open Tuesday through Saturday and located in the Chapman Cultural Center, the museum is just the right size to hold a child's interest for an hour or so. Located in the same building as the Art Museum, the Spartanburg Science Center (spartanburgsciencecenter.org) makes science and technology hands-on with interactive exhibits and experiments designed to appeal to kids. The center is only open Thursday through Saturday, so plan your visit accordingly.

Typical Weather

Spartanburg, South Carolina in

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The temperature in Spartanburg, South Carolina in December tends to be very predictable, so you can generally count on the forecast and travel light.

The temperature in Spartanburg, South Carolina in December is somewhat unpredictable, so be on the safe side and prepare for a variety of conditions.

The temperature in Spartanburg, South Carolina in December is highly unpredictable, so use the forecast as a guide, but be ready for anything!

Places to Connect with Animals

You might not expect to find a safari when you visit Spartanburg, but that's exactly what you'll get at the Hollywild Animal Park (hollywild.com), where you can spot everything from local wildlife -- look for the white-tailed deer -- to Watusi cattle, emus and even a rhino. Hours vary depending on the season; admission is reasonable. For more animal encounters, visit Live Oak Farms (liveoakfarmsllc.com), where you can get a modern-day look at old-fashioned agriculture: The farm's heritage breeds and vintage farm equipment displays are interesting for adults, while kids will love the abundance of farm animals.

Places to Pick Your Own

Spartanburg's agricultural community makes this area a great place to engage in a little kid-friendly agritourism. Depending on the season, you can pick strawberries at Strawberry Hill USA (strawberryhillusa.com), billed as the largest strawberry fields in the Southeast, or visit the Johnson Brothers farm in nearby Inman (no website; 6490 Newcut Road; 864-472-6744) to pick peaches. Most pick-your-own places around Spartanburg, including Strawberry Hill and Johnson Brothers, have attached cafes, where you can sample pies, ice cream and other treats made with local produce.

Resources

About the Author

Holly Roberts is an award-winning health and fitness writer whose work has appeared in health, lifestyle and fitness magazines. Roberts has also worked as an editor for health association publications and medical journals. She has been a professional writer for more than 10 years and holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in literature.